Liz Season
by YinYangWriter
Summary: Sequel to Warrior of Change. Liz is back, learning magic and failing miserably. So why has Oberon taken an interest in her? And what's this about a hunt? Alternate ending added.
1. Just Not Getting It

**I do not own **_**Gargoyles**_**, but I do own Liz Maza. This is the sequel to **_**Warrior of Change**_**. Please enjoy and send your comments and reviews. It's been a while since I watched the later episodes of **_**Gargoyles**_**, so I will do my best to stay as true to character as I possibly can.**

**The last we heard from Liz Maza, she had completed her mission of stopping Demona from taking over her time. Since there was nothing for her to go back to, and she learned she had Fey magic in her blood, Liz was given the option to stay with the gargoyles or go to Avalon to learn to control her magic. Liz didn't believe she belonged in 1999 Manhattan, so she went with Coyote and the Weird Sisters to Avalon.**

**Liz: Now read on to find out what happens to me!**

**YYW: Please, do.**

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><p>Liz concentrated on the object in front of her. She was supposed to turn a grouping of rocks into a stone being capable of destroying the mess of targets Coyote had set up. At the moment, it was not going well.<p>

"Come on, Liz!" Coyote said, his arms crossed and a look of blatant disappointment on his face.

Liz, focusing, her magic swirling around the rocks, clenched her teeth. Finally she gave it up. She fell to her knees and pounded the barren ground with her fists.

"Why can't I get this?" she yelled, giving the ground another punch.

"You're not trying hard enough," said Coyote. "You need to focus on what you want your magic to do."

Liz glanced at Coyote through her long black hair. What did he think she was doing?

This had been going on for months. Liz and Coyote would say in the human realm to practice Liz's magic. There were too many distractions on Avalon, mainly the gargoyles. Liz got along well with them and was often wandering off in the night to play. So, Coyote decided that they could train in the human realm. In Flagstaff, Arizona to be precise. Liz wasn't too bummed out about this, because she did get to see Beth, her would-have-been mother.

Since they left Avalon, Liz allowed her quick-growing hair to grow out and had ditched the ripped jeans and red shirt. These days she preferred to sport a tight black tank top tucked into a pair of dark jeans and cowboy boots. She also had another pair of earrings, positioned directly behind the diamond studs Alexander had given her before she went on her mission. She no longer needed his protection spell to keep her from disappearing, but she kept them anyway. Her new earrings were gold, in the shape of the earth carving dedicated to Coyote.

Liz's magical studies were not going well. She could get some things, like energy blasts and transforming herself into a gargoyle, but other things, like turning a pile of rocks into a stone being, was slow going. They had been on this lesson for days with little progress.

"Let's just call it a day," said Coyote with a sigh.

Liz growled. She didn't want to give up, but she didn't know what else to do.

"I don't get it, Liz," said Coyote as they walked back to the abandoned shed that served as home. They didn't need the comforts of humans. Coyote could conjure up whatever he needed and Liz was used to the lack of luxury. "You can whip up a storm to rival Hurricane Agnus, but you can't turn a pile of rocks into something capable of destructive power."

Liz had a snide comment about Odin being a better teacher than Coyote, but kept it to herself. Coyote wouldn't hesitate to do something nasty to her. She just scrunched her nose and kept walking.

Back on Avalon, Odin had given Liz's an overview of how to create a storm. Odin had taken her someplace where any major damage would not be an issue, though he didn't believe that Liz would be able to do more than conjure a small rain cloud. She had surprised the elderly Fey by creating a Category 3 hurricane without much difficulty. Liz could easily make personal rain showers for the gloomy, one of which she used on Raven when he was moping about something. Raven challenged her to a duel, forgetting that a duel meant something different to Liz. Liz had knocked him out before Raven had a chance to cast a spell. She had gotten a chewing out for that, but didn't let Raven forget that she could deck him with little difficulty.

Liz went right to her cot when they entered the shed. She buried her face in the pillow and tried to suppress her frustrated sobs until Coyote wasn't looking. It did no good. As soon as she had her face in her pillow, the tears came.

"Liz." Coyote knelt down beside her cot. "Liz, crying about it isn't going to solve anything."

Liz lifted her head from the pillow so she could speak. "I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I'm focusing. Really, I am."

Coyote put his hand on her back, rubbing in small circles. "Maybe it's just not your strong point," he supplied, trying to make her feel better. He hated seeing someone cry. "You got some high level stuff down without a problem. The basics can be so simple, they're hard. It's possible you're over thinking it."

Liz sniffed and wiped her tears away.

"Don't cry," said Coyote. "Tell you what: I'll take you for ice cream. That always perks you up."

"Okay," Liz muttered.

Coyote took a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed Liz's wet cheeks with it. "Smile, sunshine!"

Liz didn't smile, but the corners of her mouth twitched.

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><p><strong>Liz: Okay, I'm terrible with the basics. So what? I can get the big stuff. I bet I could turn Goliath into a human. Or Elisa into a gargoyle.<strong>

**YYW: Then go do it.**

**Liz: *Scowls* Maybe later.**

**YYW: Sure.**


	2. Return To Avalon

**I do not own **_**Gargoyles**_**. All OC's are mine.**

**Liz: Do you wanna go, pencil pusher!**

**Coyote: Careful. You may get turned into a furry woodland creature. And not by my hand.**

**Liz: Yeah, right!**

**YYW: I'll keep that in mind, Coyote.**

**Coyote: *Smirks***

**Liz: *Growls* Read on!**

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><p>Liz woke to Coyote shaking her shoulder.<p>

"What?" she grumbled.

"We're going to Avalon," said Coyote.

"Now?" Liz sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"Yes, now," answered Coyote.

"Okay," Liz yawned.

Coyote transported them to Avalon. Liz immediately ran over to the castle of Princess Katherine and Guardian Tom. It was midmorning, so her gargoyle brothers and sisters were asleep. Coyote smiled. Liz looked much happier than she normally did. She tended to when she visited Avalon. But it would not last. Try as she might, Liz couldn't make friends with any of the Fey other than Coyote himself. The Weird Sisters would come around to see what she was doing, but they weren't exactly friendly. Liz was half human and none of the other Fey wanted to be around her. There was nothing that could change that.

Coyote went to see Oberon and Titania. It was late enough in the morning that they would be stirring. And if not, he could visit Raven and poke some fun at him for being beat by a half-breed until they were.

Grandmother saw him arriving. "Hello, cousin," she said sweetly. "Where's your shadow?"

"Not here at the moment," said Coyote. "She's a little busy visiting her friends."

"How are things?" asked Grandmother.

"Well, for the most part," replied Coyote. "Teaching is slow going, but Liz is starting to get a handle on things. She's having problems with the most basic of transmutations. The higher level things are a breeze for her. I just can't get her to get a basic spell down. Other than that, everything's great. She fends for herself, asks little of me, even for food. Liz is skilled with a hunting knife." Coyote smirked. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised there with what she had to grow up with."

"She talks to you about her childhood?" asked Grandmother.

"Not much of a childhood," Coyote said. "But she talks about it sometimes. Other times she speaks in her sleep. Poor girl has some wicked nightmares. A few weeks ago she started screaming bloody murder in her sleep and I couldn't wake her." He shook his head. "I had to slap her across the face to bring her to her senses. Not a smart thing to do, but it was the only thing I could think of."

"What happened?" asked Grandmother. "Did she slap you back?"

"She punched me in the mouth," replied Coyote. "The girl has a right cross you think only a gargoyle would have." He rubbed his jaw, reminiscing the pain of Liz's strike.

The two of them walked into Oberon's castle.

"So what brings you back to Avalon?" asked Grandmother.

"I have a proposition for Lord Oberon," replied Coyote.

Grandmother looked at Coyote warily. He may not be Puck, but Coyote could be quite daring at times. "Do not do anything reckless, Coyote," she warned.

"I won't," assured Coyote. "Do you know if the lord and lady are awake yet?"

"I am." Titania's voice came from behind them. "Hello, Coyote."

"My queen," said Coyote with a bow.

"You have a proffer for my lord?" Titania asked. "Pray tell, what would it be?"

Coyote couldn't help but grin devilishly. _She_ wasn't going to like this one bit.

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><p><strong>Liz: Wait a minute! Who's 'she'?<strong>

**YYW: You'll just have to find out.**

**Liz: *Growls* You're just as bad as Coyote!**

**YYW: Keep reading. You'll find out.**


	3. Conversing With Horses

**As for the past two chapters, I don't own **_**Gargoyles**_**. OC's are mine. I would like to know what you think of Liz so far. R&R!**

**YYW: Okay, Liz's in the bathroom for the moment. I can talk freely without fear of being chased around by an angry teenager with a hunting knife.**

**Puck: *Appears in the room* But you can't get away from me, sweetie!**

**YYW: ^.^ Glad you could make it.**

**Puck: Wouldn't miss this for anything. Let's do this before she comes back. We have some time.**

**YYW: Really?**

**Puck: I locked her in the bathroom. If you listen, you can hear her beating on the door. *Snickers***

**YYW: *Listens. Hears faint yelling and pounding* You know you're never going to hear the end of it when she gets out.**

**Puck: Read on, mortals!**

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><p>Liz visited with Tom and Katherine briefly before making her way over to Oberon's castle. She went to the stables. Immediately, a horse snorted, knowing who it was that entered. Liz came around to the stall of a large black stallion.<p>

"Hey, Umbra," Liz whispered. The horse whinnied in delight at seeing his favorite visitor. "Shh! You'll get me in trouble. I'm not supposed to be here."

Umbra gave the stall a good kick. Liz understood what he wanted. She produced a small cube of sugar from her pocket. Umbra took it from her and ate it. Liz patted him on the nose.

Umbra was Oberon's mount. He was reliable as he was swift. He could run as faster than the wind, or so Grandmother told Liz.

There was another whinny from across the stable.

"I didn't forget about you, Lumen," Liz said, giving Umbra one final pat.

Lumen was a white mare with a wonderful disposition. She would happily give anyone a ride who asked for it. She was Titania's mount. Liz remembered one time when everyone was asleep in Oberon's castle she snuck out and rode Lumen.

Liz gave a sugar cube to Lumen as well and patted her.

"So what's new?" Liz asked the horses. Not too long ago, Liz learned she could speak to animals. She wondered how she could, when she could barely do anything else. She contributed it to being able to speak to Claw. Though Claw could not speak and signed with his hands, Liz had little difficulty understanding him.

"Nothing much," answered Lumen. "Umbra's becoming restless."

"I haven't been out to run in a long time," Umbra said. "I wish there would be a hunt soon so I could."

"A hunt?" Liz asked. "What's that?"

"You are a mortal," said Lumen. "You wouldn't know about our ways. I will tell you. Hunts are very rare, but they are grand events. Lord Oberon and Queen Titania ride about, chasing their quarry, usually another Fey."

"No humans?" Liz asked.

"No humans," said Umbra. "Humans are off-limits and half-breeds are little fun. I can easily catch them."

"So what happens when the prey is caught?" Liz asked.

"It all depends on who is doing the catching," Umbra said. "Sometimes nothing, other times there could be a reward if the prey put up a good fight and punishment for those who preformed poorly."

Liz shrugged. "I wouldn't mind seeing one."

Umbra pawed the ground. "I would relish a good chase. Whoever is chosen as the prey for the next hunt better be fast."

Someone was coming. Liz whipped around and dashed up the ladder into the loft, hiding in a pile of hay. It was Raven. Liz groaned inwardly at the sight of him. She didn't feel like playing with Raven.

Raven scanned the stable with his red eyes, a bit of a scowl on his face. He heard someone in here besides the horses. Coyote was back so that meant Liz was as well. She could have been in here somewhere, ducking the other Children.

Raven turned and left. Liz did not move from her hiding place. She knew Raven's games, having been a victim before. As soon as she thought him gone, she would come out of hiding and he would be right there to catch her. Not this time. Liz had a good intuition about when things were safe.

Minutes passed before Liz dared to speak to Umbra and Lumen. She gave a quick snort and waited.

"He's gone," said Lumen.

Liz came down from the loft, shaking her hair free of hay. "Thanks. I really don't feel like putting up with him right now."

"I did not know you were so light-footed, Liz" commented Lumen.

Liz turned to the mare quizzically. "You think?" she asked. "I thought everyone was just as fast as I was. I mean, you had to be if you were going to survive."

Umbra snorted. "Liz, how far are you with your schooling?"

"Define 'far'." Liz let out a nervous giggle as she said this. They did not know how much of a failure she was at the basics.

"Can you levitate?" asked Lumen.

Liz shook her head. "I can a little, but it's poor."

"Can you become invisible?" asked Umbra.

Liz shook her head again. "No, sorry."

Umbra snorted loudly. "Even for a half-breed you're pathetic!"

"Umbra!" Lumen scolded. "Be kind to the girl. She's just learning. Besides, she can already hold a conversation with us with ease while some of the other Children cannot." Lumen turned to Liz. "What else can you do?"

"Not much," said Liz. "To humans, I'm amazing. I can run, jump, and climb better than most ever hope to be. To Fey, I'm just a mortal. What I've been able to do was only by chance."

Lumen gave a sigh. "Has Coyote taught you to weave spells yet?" she asked.

"I haven't been able to get the basics," said Liz. "We haven't touched spell casting yet."

"Then allow me to give you a little help," said Lumen. "When casting spells, it's not about just getting the words to rhyme, it's about what you feel."

"What I feel?" Liz sat down on an overturned bucket. "What do you mean? I've been concentrating like mad on what Coyote wants me to do. I can't even get concentrating right."

"Ah," said Umbra. "There's your problem right there. You think with your head too much. A pureblood Fey wouldn't know that. It comes naturally to them. You have to be able to feel the magic in your blood, need tell it what it needs to do, not tell your head."

"Ah! That explains why I could get more advanced skills down and easily pulled off a transformation," said Liz. "I wasn't thinking about it, I just did it."

"Try something small," said Lumen. She looked around. "The bucket you're sitting on; try to fill it from the well without touching it with your hands."

Liz stood up and looked at where she had to take the bucket. "Worth a shot. I mean, I'm already pathetic. Let's add insult to injury."

_Feel it, don't think. Tell the magic what it needs to do, not your head._

Liz reached for her magic, taking some and pushing it through her body. Her eyes felt hot and her skin tingled. Staring at the bucket, she said very quietly, "Up!"

The bucket floated into the air. Liz told it to move to the well and it did. It hooked itself onto the rope and lowered into the well. Now came the harder part. Liz needed to divide her concentration between the bucket and the rope to the well. The bucket came up and went back into the stable. It was a little more difficult now that the bucket was full.

"Where do you want it?" Liz asked the horses.

"Pour the water into my trough," said Umbra. "I am a bit thirsty."

Liz carefully poured the water into Umbra's trough.

"Do it again," said Lumen. "This time give me the water."

Liz nodded and repeated the procedure, this time a little faster. The water was poured into Lumen's trough. The bucket then went back to its place, resting upside down for Liz to sit on.

"I got it," Liz giggled.

"Good girl," said Lumen.

Umbra gave a pleased snort. "Remember, it is the same no matter what the spell."

"I will," said Liz.

"Liz!" Coyote called. "Are you here?"

Liz hurried out of the stables. "Here I am," she said loudly.

Coyote smiled. "I have a surprise for you, Liz," he said with a grin. "But I need to show you it at the castle."

"Okay," Liz agreed. She had a surprise for him as well, but hers could wait.

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><p><strong>YYW: And that's the end of that chapter.<strong>

**Puck: You're going to end it like this?**

**YYW: Yes. Why? You don't like it?**

**Puck: It's your story. End the chapter however you please.**

**YYW: *Listens* You think Liz gave up on trying to break down the door.**

**Puck: Probably. Don't worry. Coyote can keep her busy long enough for you to finish the next chapter.**


	4. Proposition

**YYW: Now we're going to find out what Coyote's up to.**

**Puck: Finally! Can you hold off long enough for me to get some popcorn?**

**YYW: Popcorn? Yeah, sure.**

**Puck *Leaves to get popcorn***

**YYW: He is so strange. But that's why I love him.**

**Puck: I heard that!**

**YYW: You were supposed to!**

* * *

><p>Coyote led Liz through the halls of Oberon's castle. She knew parts of the castle, but spent most of her time outside. This part of the castle was unfamiliar to her. She had a bad feeling about this.<p>

Statues standing on either side of a large double door moved to open it as they approached, revealing an expansive chamber of blue, a stretch of red carpet cutting it in half. At the far end of the chamber was Oberon sitting on his throne.

Liz took one look at where they were and all the color drained from her face. Every nerve in her being, every brain cell in her skull, was telling her there was danger and to get out of there this instant. She heard Coyote snicker at her reaction, but kept her eyes forward, watching Oberon, the greatest threat in the room.

Oberon, the arrogant, overgrown smurf as Liz privately called him, was calmly watching Liz with an amused smile on his face. There was a bit of scheming in the Fey king's eyes.

The doors closed behind them, causing Liz to jump and look over her shoulder before whipping back to Oberon. The amused smile became a grin. Liz cursed her hyper vigilance.

"No need to be alarmed, Liz," Oberon said. He turned to the others in the room. "Leave us!"

Coyote tapped Liz's shoulder to let her know that meant him as well. Liz gave him a pleading look. Coyote gave her one of reassurance.

Now Liz and Oberon were alone in the room. He was still giving her that unnerving smile, poking fun at her for her tenseness. Liz was wound tighter than a spring. Anything could set her off: a noise, a touch.

"What is the frightened look for?" asked Oberon, rising from his throne. "You act as though you are a child about to be punished for sneaking sweets."

Liz had been trying to look unafraid, but Oberon could see through her. For years Liz had practiced masking her terror, for fear led to disrespect and respect was something you needed when you were a rebel. She did not like that Oberon was able to see her fear. Try as she might to set her mouth in a hard line and keep her fear hidden deep in her eyes, it did no good to one who had the ability to see the unseen.

Oberon walked the red carpet to where Liz was standing. She kept her eyes on him, not meaning disrespect, but out of habit. Never turn your eyes away from something that could hurt you was one of the first things she learned as a child.

The smile returned to Oberon's face. "You are brazen, girl," he said. "You come in here and do not bow and look me straight in the eye."

Liz gulped and looked away.

Oberon chuckled. "To do that takes courage," he continued. "I may not like defiance . . . "

Liz could not control her mouth. "Who does?"

Oberon gave her a wry smirk. "But that is one of the things I find interesting about you. Though only a half-breed, you certainly act audaciously in the face of danger."

Oberon began to make a slow circle around Liz. Liz, still tensed, waited for the slightest shift in his movements. Feeling a shift, she whipped around and caught his wrist just as he was about to give her hair a tug.

"Impressive," Oberon commented.

Quickly letting go, Liz took a step back. "What are you up to?" she asked.

"Coyote came to me saying you were having difficulty controlling your power," Oberon explained. "He believes an exercise is necessary to teach you how to use it."

Liz narrowed her eyes. What was Coyote up to? Was this what he was smiling about earlier when they came in? Liz did not like this at all.

Oberon began to look Liz up and down. "I am told you are quick for a human," he said, beginning to circle her again, this time keeping well out of arms' length. Scrutinizing her, Oberon added, "Strong, agile, clever. Being raised as an outcast, your life constantly threatened, I assume you have learned how to hide yourself, no matter what your surroundings are. You were raised by gargoyles, so you have knowledge of how to defend yourself. And since you are only learning magic now, you did not rely on magic to complete your mission."

Liz stared at Oberon, frowning. _What's with him? Did he hit his head or something? This was not the Oberon I've heard about._

"You will do," he said, a slight purr of pleasure in his voice.

"Careful," Liz said with a purr of her own. "Someone may not like where this is going."

"You mean Titania?" Oberon chuckled. "Do not fret. She already knows what I am going to do."

"So what are you planning, sir?" Liz asked, her voice wary and a bit insincere.

Oberon chuckled again. "Your impertinence continues to amaze me. However, it is refreshing. I would rather you not tell anyone that."

"No worries about that," Liz replied. "So what are you planning? And how come it involves me? I'm sure one of your children can easily take my place."

"As I said, Coyote believes you need some sort of exercise to gain control over your powers," Oberon said. "He suggested something we both could enjoy."

Liz twitched her fingers. "And what would that be?"

"A hunt." Oberon smiled, his sharp fangs fully visible.

Liz flinched. "What?" she hissed under her breath.

"It is simple really," Oberon explained. "An intense game of hide-and-seek. You will hide and I will search for you. Only instead of me finding you and that being the end of our game, I will try to capture you — forcefully, mind you. Your objective will be to not be caught."

"You're the hunter. I'm the prey," Liz bluntly said. "So, who plays the hounds?"

"Honestly, I was not thinking about that, but it would make things much more interesting," Oberon said.

Liz could have punched herself for her stupidity. Talk about digging a hole.

"And if I say no?" inquired Liz. "What if I decide not to play your little game?"

Oberon waved a hand nonchalantly. "Then you do not play. Half-breeds tend not to be much fun in a hunt. They just do not possess the power to fight back against purebloods. The hunt was to benefit you and for me to have a little fun. I already know you are at a disadvantage. I am a great hunter, after all."

_There it was, the arrogance Oberon was known for. Maybe he didn't hit his head after all._

Liz thought for a moment. If the hunt was for her benefit, it wouldn't hurt her to be the prey and learn something. She was only in training and she doubted Coyote would knowingly put her in any sort of mortal danger. On the other hand, Coyote could not guarantee her safety from Oberon.

Oberon watched Liz mull over the idea. He could tell she was on the fence. Perhaps if he upped the ante, she would be more willing to participate. But what could he give her in return for being the prey? Immortality seemed to be what humans wanted these days, but Liz was not afraid to die. She even risked not existing. Liz did not appear to be a human interested in immortality. Oberon was also aware of how she lived. She would turn down wealth, and power was something she already had, just needed to know how to use it. There must have been something this girl wanted.

"If you do participate in the hunt, and do well, I will grant you a wish," Oberon said. "Anything your heart desires."

Liz looked Oberon in the eye. "And if I do poorly?" she asked.

"What makes you think anything will happen to you if you do poorly?" asked Oberon. "I am well aware you are not prime quarry material. I will not punish you for that. Simply make an effort and learn something. That is all that can be asked."

_Oberon must be as restless as Umbra,_ Liz thought. _To agree to Coyote's suggestion and encourage me to be the prey, I would say he would have to be bored. A wish — not immortality, power, or riches beyond my wildest dreams, a straight, anything goes wish — is not something typically handed out. He thinks he'll catch me in a heartbeat. If he uses Umbra, victory for him and a poor performance from me are ensured. On top of that, he's going to have help from others, and Raven would jump at the chance to come after me._

"Okay," Liz said. "I'll do it. But, if I do well, will you still give me the wish? Or will you go sulk like a child?"

The room began to shake as Oberon's temper flared. "Insolent mortal!" he roared, raising his arm to backhand Liz. When he saw Liz did not flinch at the threat of being struck, he lowered his hand. The furious gleam in his eyes vanished, his composure restored. He smirked. "You are intelligent, for a human, at least. Very well, I vow to keep my word."

_This was good,_ Liz thought. _He can still cheat me, but only if I do not perform to his standards. I'll just have to put up a good fight._

Another thought, one that was not important, yet held some weight, came to Liz's mind.

_If I got the wish, what would I wish for?_

* * *

><p><strong>Puck: And end scene! :D<strong>

**YYW: What do you think?**

**Puck: I think this popcorn is amazing! Want some?**

**YYW: I'm typing. I don't want to get the keyboard all messy. And I was not referring to the popcorn.**

**Puck: The chapter's good, too. I loved how Liz stood up to Oberon. Last time I did that, it got me into a sticky situation.**

**YYW: Not to sound like I'm kicking you out, but I don't hear anything outside. I think Liz may have gotten the better of Coyote.**

**Puck: In other words . . . **

**YYW: Yes, I'm kicking you out.**

**Puck: I'll come back when she calms down. *Disappears***

**YYW: In other words, you're not coming back.**

**Puck: *Reappears* Don't be so sure.**

**YYW: Aah! Puck!**

**Puck: *Chuckles, disappears***


	5. The Hunt

**Liz: I'm back! Where's Puck!**

**YYW: You just missed him.**

**Liz: *Mutters something that will not be repeated***

**YYW: Where's Coyote?**

**Liz: I strung him up from the garage rafters.**

**YYW: With what? Better yet, don't tell me. If anyone asks, I can truthfully say I have no idea.**

**Liz: Always knew you were smart. :) Let's read.**

* * *

><p>So it was settled. Liz would be the prey for the next hunt. However, a few rules were set into place, courtesy of Titania to assist Liz. 1) The hunt was to take place on the island only. 2) The hunt would only take place from sunset to sunrise. 3) Liz would be given the hour before sunset to get a feel for the place. Other than those three rules, anything went: magic, weapons, trickery.<p>

Liz was feeling nervous. She went back to the stables to see Umbra and Lumen. Umbra had heard that there was going to be a hunt and was anxious to begin.

"Now you'll get to see what a hunt is, Liz. Who is the prey?" asked Lumen.

"Me," Liz replied.

Umbra and Lumen stared at her.

"You?" Umbra asked flatly. "You're the prey?" Liz nodded. He let out a whinny of discontent. "There is no point of Oberon saddling me up! I'll have you caught within minutes."

"You'll have to find me first," said Liz.

"Oberon has his scrying mirror," said Umbra. "It won't be much of a challenge to find you."

"And you'll have to catch me," Liz added.

Umbra did not dignify that sentence with a remark about his speed.

"I can do this," said Liz. "I know I can. I've been doing stuff like this most of my life."

"But never with Fey," Lumen said. "You've outrun and outsmarted humans. Fey are different. They are not to be underestimated."

"If I can't hold on for one hour, I'm not fit to even be here," Liz said. She let out a heavy sigh. "I've already told myself that if I can't last an hour, I'm not coming back."

"What?" asked the horses. They liked Liz's visits. She gave them sugar cubes when others only gave them carrots and apples. She actually held full conversations with them and didn't make an excuse to leave when things became boring.

"Perhaps I shouldn't cooperate with Lord Oberon then," said Umbra.

"No." Liz shook her head. "It wouldn't be fair."

"All is fair in a hunt," said Umbra. "Prey and hunter may switch places. It would give you an advantage."

Liz shook her head again. "No, Umbra. I want you to give it all you got. I have to do this. I want to show them just because I'm human doesn't mean I'm weak."

"Then I wish you the best of luck," said Umbra.

Lumen nodded in agreement.

* * *

><p>The hour of grace Liz had before the hunt began was close at hand. Her stomach was queasy, but her hands were steady. She couldn't let fear get the better of her. Liz had already informed Princess Katherine and Tom about the hunt, asking them not to let the eggs interfere.<p>

"I need to do this on my own," Liz told them when they argued. "I need to know that I can hold my own, learn my limits."

Liz stood on the steps of Oberon's castle, arms folded over her chest. She was thinking about what she could do. She knew her way around Avalon, but the others knew it better. It then occurred to her: this was no different than hiding from Demona's goons.

"Liz, it is time," Titania said from behind her.

Liz turned to the Fey queen. "Okay," she said.

Titania rested a hand on the teen's shoulder. "Good luck to you. A horn will be blown to announce the start of the hunt. You will hear it, no matter where you are on the island."

Liz nodded. "Okay. Thanks."

"One more thing," Titania said. "Anything can happen. Other than the three rules I put in place for your benefit, anything can happen."

Liz smirked. "The prey can become the hunter," she said.

Titania smiled. "Yes."

Liz took a deep breath. "I'll be happy if I just last an hour. If I don't get the wish, that's fine. I just want to know if I can hold on for one hour."

"Only an hour?" asked Titania. "Child, you need to have more faith in yourself. Now go. You are wasting time."

Liz sprinted off into the forest.

* * *

><p>The sun was setting and it would soon be time for the hunt to begin. Liz had found a nice hiding place high in the trees. She had left several false trails for the Children to follow and had disappeared suddenly. Looking at her watch, Liz saw she had about ten minutes until the real challenge began.<p>

"_Oberon has his scrying mirror. It won't be much of a challenge to find you."_

"_Other than the three rules I put in place for your benefit, anything can happen."_

_Anything can happen?_ Liz thought of what she could do to make things more difficult for Oberon. There wasn't much she could do. She pretty much had only the prayer that Oberon was having a blond moment and would foul up somewhere. _Or maybe not. If I can somehow get around that scrying mirror bit, I have a better chance. But how? I really don't want to have to smash it._

Liz thought for another minute. She was running out of time and had to make a quick decision.

"Don't think about it," she told herself. Liz let her magic flow. "Lord Oberon chooses to make this hunt less fun, / So let his unfair means come undone, / Shield me from magic eyes that pry, / Make it impossible for him scry."

A green mist surrounded Liz and faded away. She could only hope her little spell worked.

With a little time to spare, Liz moved from her hiding place. She knew a place where there was a marble grotto with a small pool. Gabriel once told her that the Archmage fought Goliath there and lost. Liz dashed to the grotto, an idea formulating in her mind. Gabriel also told her that when Angela looked into the pool, she saw Magus dying. Liz thought she could use the pool to her advantage to learn who was playing the hounds.

Reaching the grotto, she ran to the edge of the pool. There was nothing special about it. She knelt down and poked the water with a finger, thinking about what she wanted to see. Images began to appear on the surface of the water. Oberon was mounting Umbra.

"This should not take long," Oberon was saying to the Children surrounding him. "She is only a half-breed after all."

The Children surrounding him were the Weird Sisters, Raven, and Anansi. Coyote was standing on the steps next to Titania. It was apparent he was not allowed to participate. On the other side of Titania was Odin. What was Odin up to?

"And what would you have of me, my queen?" Odin asked.

"Keep an eye on things," Titania answered. "Do not interfere, but be sure Oberon and the others do not harm her. Especially Raven. He has a vendetta with Liz. He will be willing to break the rule of a hound and attack. I do not want her harmed."

"As you wish," Odin said, and disappeared.

So Odin was going to look out for Liz. It was comforting to know someone was looking out for her. Titania would be watching as well with her mirror, provided Liz's spell didn't shield her from it.

Liz noticed Oberon shoulder something. It was a quiver full of arrows. He took one out and inspected the tip.

"Iron," muttered Liz.

Oberon also had a bow and there was a sword strapped to his waist. Liz groaned. He meant business. She reached back and touched the eight inch hunting knife concealed beneath her clothes, thankful she decided to bring it with instead of leaving it behind. Liz figured she shouldn't be surprised since weapons were allowed, but she had hoped that things weren't going to get bloody. Titania had said Raven may break the rule of a hound — whatever that was — and attack. Liz guessed that hounds were only supposed to trap the prey.

"Good to know," Liz said.

A horn sounded. It was time. Oberon gave Umbra a swift kick in the sides and they were off. Liz waved her hand at the water and the images disappeared. She rushed back into the forest to hide.

* * *

><p>Oberon rode Umbra to the meadow with the Children behind him. He took out his scrying mirror. "Show me where Liz Maza is hiding," he commanded. The mirror's surface swirled, but no image formed. "Show me!" The mirror's surface continued to swirl, but still no images formed. "Curse her! She's cloaked herself!"<p>

"Do not fret, my lord," said Phoebe. "We will find her."

The Weird Sisters took the form of owls and flew off.

"I'll go with them," Raven said, spreading his arms.

Oberon turned to his remaining Child. "Anansi, set a trap. We will lead her into it."

"As you command," Anansi said.

With his hounds now on the search for Liz, Oberon began to think where she might have been hiding. He gave Umbra's reins a tug and went off at a gallop toward the forest.

* * *

><p>Liz saw three owls in the night sky. It didn't take a genius to figure out those owls were the Weird Sisters. Pressing herself against the trunk of a tree, Liz watched them circle above her. Did they see her? Probably not or they would have jumped into action. But if they kept circling, they would see her sooner or later.<p>

Taking a deep breath, Liz murmured, "Disappear." She still felt like herself, but when she looked down at her feet she couldn't see them.

The Weird Sisters took one more pass where they were before flying off in another direction. Liz moved, her spell coming undone. When they were out of sight, Liz let out a sigh of relief. Her spell worked. She was amazed that things were going so well. Looking at her watch, Liz saw that she had survived the first twenty minutes. Forty minutes to go and it wouldn't matter if she was caught or not in her eyes.

Thinking it best to move, Liz went in search of a new place to hide.

Raven was searching for Liz. He didn't care if Oberon caught her. He just wanted a chance at paying her back for the sucker punch.

"What could that little girl do against me?" Raven thought out loud.

Seeing something move in the trees below, Raven swooped down to see what it was. It was Liz! She was being careless, running around down there without some sort of spell to cloak her whereabouts. The others were nowhere near them. This was just too perfect.

Raven landed in front of Liz. She skidded to a stop and stared wide-eyed.

"Didn't think you would be caught this soon?" Raven sneered. "Don't worry. The game's not over until Oberon catches you. And at the moment, I have no intention of turning you over to him."

Liz took a step back. Raven lifted his hand, sparks of magic shooting forward, wrapping themselves around Liz. It lifted her off the ground, her face contorting in pain. Raven laughed. The little wretch deserved this.

Liz disappeared in a small explosion. Raven, baffled, because killing her was not what he wanted to do, stared.

"What the . . . ?" he began to say. Then he realized what was going on. "An illusion! Oh, girl, you're in trouble now!"

From her hiding place in some ferns, the real Liz did her best not to laugh. The look on Raven's face when her illusion vanished was priceless. She wondered if he would fall for the same trick twice.

In a rage, Raven turned himself into his namesake and flew away. When he was out of earshot, Liz let out a snort of laughter. Coyote would have been proud of her. Feeling much more daring, Liz decided to see if she could find Oberon and see what he was up to.

* * *

><p>Oberon was meandering down the forest paths, looking for Liz. The girl could barely levitate a thing from what he heard, so there was no way she was flying around. And if she was, the Children would see her.<p>

Umbra could smell someone nearby, but he did not alert his master. It was Liz, he was certain, but where was she? He heard a soft snort from her, asking if she would forgive him. Umbra let out a snort of his own, shaking his head a little, asking her what for. There was a sudden sting on his left flank and Umbra reared up. The action threw Oberon from the saddle and he landed unceremoniously on his behind.

"Umbra!" barked the king of the Fey, getting to his feet, trying to preserve some dignity.

Umbra put his head down. The horse couldn't help but think back to what he said about everything being fair in a hunt. At least Liz had the courtesy to ask to be forgiven before she hit her friend with a rock.

Pulling himself back into the saddle, Oberon searched the area for Liz. She had to be nearby. Was she invisible? He highly doubted that. Invisibility was a skill that needed much practice before one could move around and stay unseen.

Taking an arrow from his quiver, Oberon noticed something out of the corner of his eye. It was a quick movement from something large. He pulled the bowstring back, aimed, and let the arrow fly. The arrow disappeared and hit a tree out of sight. There was no movement to indicate he was anywhere close to hitting his target. He fired another arrow in the general vicinity of the first, but still nothing. It must have just been the wind.

Liz listened to Umbra's hoof beats faded away. She stayed very still, a bit in a panic. Oberon thought it was just a shadow he saw, but it was indeed Liz. That first arrow came within inches of her. It was only luck that kept it from missing and hitting a tree several yards away. The second was much farther from her. She leaned against the tree she was hiding behind.

* * *

><p>The Weird Sisters were having little luck with finding Liz together.<p>

"We should split up," said Luna.

"We will not be as powerful," Seline argued.

"We don't need to be," said Luna. "Liz is but a child. And like a child, she bumbles around. Her magic is nothing compared to ours individually. We should have little trouble if she decides to fight back."

"She is right, Seline," Phoebe said. "The girl is powerless."

The three turned themselves into animals and went in separate directions.

It was Luna who found Liz first. She was making her way through the brush. Liz was surprisingly agile for a human, but she was no match for a Fey. Luna, disguised as a white squirrel, hopped from tree branch to tree branch. Liz stopped, bending to adjust her boot. Luna was directly over Liz's head when she prepared to strike. This would be simple.

Luna was getting ready to cast a spell when Liz whipped around and pointed her finger at the white squirrel. A beam of light shot from Liz's fingertip and made its way around Luna. Luna turned back into her true form.

"Ah! You cheater!" Luna cried.

Liz took a bow. "Thank you. But last time I checked, all was fair in a hunt," she said.

"You deceived us all!" Luna cried. "You made us believe you did not know how to use your power."

"In a way, that's true," said Liz. "I'm only just figuring out how to use it. I thought I would already be caught. Now I'm not sure I want this game to end. I'm learning a lot." Liz turned and walked away.

"Release me!" shouted Luna.

Liz turned. "Why? Surely you can get out of a weak half-breed's spell." She gave a quick smile and ran into the shadows.

Luna let out a frustrated cry.

* * *

><p>Oberon heard something and so did Umbra. The horse gave a low snort and tossed his head. From the shadows, Luna appeared.<p>

"My lord," she said with a curtsy, "the girl has been sighted south of here. My sisters are in pursuit."

"Excellent," Oberon grinned. "Now she will pay for what she has done."

Oberon galloped to the south. Luna stood where she was, watching them disappeared. She grinned evilly and began north.

Oberon found a cage of green energy. So the Weird Sisters had caught Liz in a trap of their own. He grinned in delight that the hunt would soon be over. Liz had put up a fight, but not good enough. She would not get her wish, but there was a little fun to this game. His grin turned to a frown when he looked into the cage.

"Luna!" he shouted. "What are you doing here? Where are your sisters?"

"We separated in hopes of finding the girl," Luna explained. "I thought I had her when she trapped me in here."

"But you said Seline and Phoebe were with you," Oberon said, waving his hand to make the cage vanish.

"I have not seen Seline or Phoebe for some time now," said Luna.

"Then why come tell me you were with them and had captured Liz?" snapped Oberon.

Luna frowned in confusion. "I did no such thing, my lord. I was deceived. We all were! The girl knows more magic than she let on. She trapped me in that cage and took off."

Oberon let out a snarl. It was not Luna who lied to him. It was Liz disguised as Luna!

* * *

><p>Liz hurried to the northern tip of the island, snickering as she ran. She wondered how long it would take Oberon to figure out he had been duped. Not long, probably, just long enough for her to make an escape.<p>

She looked at her watch. It had been four hours since the hunt began. She had lasted three more hours than she had hoped for. There was a chance that she would make it until sunrise. But five hours (that was including her grace hour) of running worked up an appetite. The Fey may not have needed to eat, but Liz did. The orchard wasn't far from where she was. She would grab an apple from a tree and eat on the run.

There were plenty of apples on the trees. Liz walked up to one and reached for the red fruit. Something sticky wrapped around her, pinning her arms to her sides.

"There you are," hissed Anansi. "I was wondering how long it would take you to become hungry. I set a trap knowing you would have to eat at some point."

"Darn you," spat Liz, struggling to get free.

"The more you struggle, the more you entangle yourself," Anansi said, creeping over to his prey.

Liz whispered something, too softly for Anansi to hear.

"What?" he asked.

Liz looked up at him. "Do you know what happens to a spider when it's struck by lightning?"

Anansi frowned, wondering what she was getting at. When he did realize what she meant it was too late. Liz had not been looking at Anansi, but the sky. A bolt of lightning struck Anansi. He wasn't hurt, just stunned.

Liz managed to reach back and pull her hunting knife from its sheath. She cut herself free and made a quick escape albeit without an apple.

From a new hiding place near the gardens of Oberon's castle, Liz took a moment to catch her breath and think of a new plan. She was now five hours into the hunt and had another five to go until sunrise.

"Man, I'm tired," she muttered. "But I'm not giving up. I'm not going to give them the satisfaction of finding me."

An idea came to Liz. She was fighting on their terms with their means. What if she fought with her means? She grinned at the thought.

* * *

><p>Raven was searching from the ground for any sign of Liz. He found several fresh cowboy boot prints in the dirt. Smirking, he cautiously followed the trail.<p>

"AAH!" Raven's foot was yanked out from under him and he found himself hanging upside down. How could he have missed that? How foolish was he that he fell for a simple hunter's trap? "All right. All right. You want to play this way, fine. I can play this way."

With a little magical assistance, Raven got himself back on the ground. He looked around and saw Liz leaning casually against a tree. She smiled and gave a little wave. Raven gritted his teeth together and started after her, only to trip and fall on his face.

"What the . . . ?" Raven looked at what he tripped over, finding his pants around his ankles.

Liz laughed. "Missing something?" she asked, holding up the red sash that held up Raven's pants.

Raven's scowl turned to one of admiration. "Impressive," he praised. "A bit cliche, but a classic nonetheless." He held out his hand. "Now give it back."

"Do you seriously believe I would walk over there and hand it to you?" asked Liz.

Raven frowned. "I was hoping you would."

Liz hung up the sash on a low branch. "Come get it yourself." With that, Liz dashed off into the trees.

Raven scrunched his nose. "Well, worth a shot."

* * *

><p>Walking on the branches of the trees, Liz could see Oberon and Umbra coming. It was time to play another trick on him. He was probably steamed from Liz impersonating Luna. What could she do this time?<p>

There was a sparrow sitting in its nest. It woke, hearing Liz. Liz turned to the sparrow. The bird ruffled its feathers and was about to let out a squawk when Liz put a finger to her lips.

"Hush, little sparrow," she whispered. "I mean no harm. I do need a little help though."

The sparrow chirped quietly. "What do you need?"

"I need you to distract Oberon," Liz replied. "I must steal his arrows so he cannot shoot me when he finds me."

"But to cross King Oberon is dangerous," the sparrow said. "I do not wish to anger him."

"He'll never know. I'll tell you what to do."

The sparrow listened carefully to Liz's instructions.

Oberon heard a bird fussing at something. He looked into the trees and saw a sparrow pulling at a lock of black hair.

"There you are," said Oberon.

He reached back and took an arrow from his quiver. Smirking, Oberon aimed carefully, urging Umbra to move forward quietly. They came around to the bird. The sparrow was still squawking, pulling at the hair.

"What?" the Fey king breathed.

There was no one there, only a large clump of black hair wrapped around a branch that fluttered in the slight breeze.

"What trickery is this?" cried Oberon.

The bird flew away.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, Oberon put the arrow back into the quiver. Odd. The quiver felt lighter than what it should have been. Fingers closed on the air, searching for the arrows that were supposed to be there, but there was only the arrow Oberon had replaced.

Oberon roared for his children. The five of them gathered around him.

"Find her! Stop mucking about and find her!" he told them.

The Weird Sisters turned themselves into hounds and began sniffing for Liz. Raven took to the air once more and Anansi hurried off to set a trap.

* * *

><p>Liz carried the iron tipped arrows away and hid them. There was one less thing she needed to worry about. Granted, Oberon still had one arrow, but as long as she did not make herself an easy target, she did not have to worry too much about it. But now she had to worry about the Weird Sisters smelling her out.<p>

Her hair was now a complete mess. Cutting it with her hunting knife was just a decoy to get the arrows, but she wished she had a mirror when she did it. The front was long and the back was a little on the short side. Oh, well, nothing to worry about now. She would just have to get someone to even the ends when this was over.

Gazing at the clear sky above, Liz envisioned it fill with rain clouds. Clouds began to gather rather rapidly and soon there was a downpour. Perfect! That would make things more difficult for the Weird Sisters.

Liz ran to the grotto. She waved her hand over the pool and saw the Weird Sisters as hounds with mud up to their canine elbows. It looked like Phoebe had gotten a snoot full of dirt and she was sneezing to get it out. Her sisters just watched her until she was finished. The scene changed to Raven flying overhead. He was too close and he would be able to see her.

Thinking like she would if she was back in her time, Liz ran from the grotto for the lake, diving in without a second's hesitation. She swam as deep as she could and waited to see where Raven went. She could see him from where she hid. He was circling the lake in his gargoyle form.

_This isn't good,_ Liz thought, putting a hand over her mouth and nose. _I'm running out of air. I need a plan, and a good one._

If she could turn herself into a fish, this wouldn't be a problem.

_That's it! A transformation! I'm sure I can pull one off. Hopefully without alerting Raven to my position._

_But the flash of magic will give you away,_ said a little voice in Liz's mind.

_That's right, but I have to do something._

Liz desperately tried to think of a spell, but the lack of oxygen to her brain made it impossible.

_Breathe!_ Liz yelled in her mind.

A little voice told her to open her mouth and take a breath. Why Liz listened, she didn't know, but she sucked down a mouthful of water. It was different from breathing air. Liz could only liken it to drinking water and gulping pudding. The water was more dense than the air she normally breathed and it took more effort to get it into her lungs. It wasn't so bad.

She swam to the far side of the lake and began climbing the nearest mountain.

* * *

><p><strong>Liz: I've been busy!<strong>

**YYW: A long chapter. Do you feel better now that Puck isn't here?**

**Liz: Much. I still want to throw a boot at him. I think I'll go let Coyote down from the rafters.**

**YYW: Okay.**


	6. Endgame

**YYW: So Liz has been a very busy girl up until now and things aren't about to get any simpler.**

**Puck: *Appears* I see she's calmed. May I stick around? I can give you some ideas.**

**YYW: Sure.**

**Puck: XD Yay! Let's continue!**

* * *

><p>With her watch waterlogged, Liz couldn't tell what time it was. It was beginning to become light in the east. For the past hour, she had taken a rest, concealed with an invisibility spell. As long as she didn't move, the spell would stay in place. It was holding up well. The Weird Sisters couldn't find her because the rain had washed away her scent. Raven had flown above her and took no notice. Anansi was probably somewhere where he could spring a trap.<p>

_Time to move,_ Liz thought.

She stood up, her spell unraveling. Looking around and seeing no one, Liz decided to try the one thing she had been meaning to try for a long, long time. Levitation. Oh, yes, she could move objects as large as a pencil, but never herself.

"Not really the time to do it," she said to herself. Liz wanted to get over the mountain and to the beach.

Taking a cleansing breath, Liz focused her magic on herself, telling her she wanted to levitate. Her body felt light, but Liz couldn't get her feet off the ground.

"Oh, well," she muttered.

There was a whinny. Liz whipped around to see Oberon and Umbra. They had seen her and were galloping toward her. Umbra was as fast as the wind. No doubt there was magic involved in this. There wasn't any way Liz could out run him. Oberon had his only iron tipped arrow ready to fire.

Liz's instincts told her to run. That's what she did. She turned tail and ran as fast as she could up the mountain.

_If I don't do something soon, I'm done,_ she thought. _But what can I do?_

_Hmm, didn't you used to outrun Demona's goon squads when you were little? This is no different._

_Yes, it is! I'm trying to outrun a horse, _Liz argued. _A magic horse, too!_

_So? You've faced impossible odds before._

Liz heard the snap of a bowstring. She spun around and snatched the arrow out of the air. Liz caught the surprised look on Oberon's face as she turned back around and kept running.

_Faster, faster,_ she thought. _Keep going! Keep going! Faster!_

With a burst of speed with the aid of magic, Liz made it to the top of the mountain and began running down the other side. The other side of the mountain was covered in meadow, terrain easily crossed by Umbra.

"Jalapena!" Liz yelled.

Telling herself to run faster, that her life depended on it, Liz dug down deep and found the strength to keep running. She looked over her shoulder to see the distance between her and Oberon growing wider.

There was a cliff nearby, Liz was certain. She needed to get down to the beach. Finding the cliff, Liz jumped over the side.

Oberon urged Umbra on, the horse leaping over the side of the cliff and flying through the air as if it were the normal thing to do. He hovered for a moment. Oberon looked around and could not see Liz.

"Where did you go, minx?" he hissed.

"Right here!" Liz appeared out of thin air and tackled Oberon, knocking him from Umbra. They both tumbled into the water.

Liz made it to shore first, grabbing Umbra's reins and swinging herself into the saddle. "Let's go!" she grunted in the horse's language.

Umbra didn't need to be told twice. With his new rider, they galloped down the shoreline at breakneck speed. Umbra was doing all the work while Liz hung on for dear life, looking over her shoulder to see a soaking wet Oberon pull himself from the water.

"He is not going to be happy," she said.

"No, he will not," agreed Umbra. "You are doing well, Liz. I thought you wouldn't last this long."

"You better not have been going easy on me," Liz said.

"No, I was not," said Umbra. "You only have another hour to go, if you can hold on for that long."

"I think I can," said Liz.

* * *

><p><em>Thirty minutes to go,<em> Liz thought to herself. She had led Umbra back to the stables and put him in his stall after she unsaddled him. Liz hid up in the loft, planning her final move. Her endgame needed to be huge. _What to do?_

"Anything you like," Lumen said without any need to be told what Liz was thinking. "You have won."

"Not yet," Liz said.

"I would like to know something," said Umbra. "Lord Oberon said he will grant you a wish if you preformed well. I would have to say you have. What is your wish going to be?"

"Hmm." Liz put a finger to her mouth. "I don't know. What do you think I should wish for?"

"To be invited back to Avalon anytime," said Lumen. "We love your visits."

"I already have that," said Liz. "Even if Coyote doesn't bring me back, I have the human's spell to get here. Honestly, there's nothing I want." Liz shrugged and got up. "I'll decide later."

"Where are you going?" asked Umbra.

"To play my endgame," said Liz, walking out of the stables.

* * *

><p>With twenty minutes, Liz hurried back to the grotto that overlooked the lake. This was the spot. Goliath had his showdown with the Archmage here and Liz would have hers with Oberon. There she waited, watching, listening.<p>

Liz could sense Anansi, Raven, and the Weird Sisters coming. She was ready for them.

"It's over, Liz," said Raven.

"You have lost," Seline said. "The hunt is over."

"No, it isn't," said Liz. "I call to the wind, water, plants, and ground. / Form restraints so these five are bound."

The ground shook, the water in the lake stirred, the wind blew, and the grass rapidly grew. All four things created restraints to hold the Children back.

"Now all I have to do is wait," muttered Liz.

"What are you scheming?" demanded Phoebe.

Liz did not answer them. She was too busy keeping an ear open for Oberon.

Oberon appeared about five minutes later.

"How dare you make a fool out of me!" he roared.

Liz held her ground. Oberon angered was an intimidating sight, but she couldn't allow that to get the better of her.

Oberon attacked first, trying to restrain Liz. Liz countered and hopped back to the lake's edge.

_I don't have to win. I just need to hold on. That's right, just stall until the sun comes up. Which should be any minute._

The gravel around her feet sprang up and pulled her down. Liz fought for a moment before slipping away like she was ethereal.

"You have the ability of intangibleness?" gaped Oberon.

"Apparently I do," said Liz, a little surprised herself. "You know, Oberon, there's something I've been meaning to do for weeks."

"And what would that be?" he snapped.

Liz pointed to the gravel around her, telling it to take form. It took the form of a man and grabbed Oberon, throwing him into the lake, holding him down. Liz made sure he wasn't down long, just long enough to run out of air. Her figure lifted him to the surface for a breath before thrusting him below again.

There was a flash of green light and Liz's gravel-man disintegrated. Oberon broke through the surface, iron sword in hand. He hovered several feet above the water, a look of rage in his eyes, his teeth gleaming in the twilight. He rushed forward. Liz pulled her hunting knife from its sheath and blocked Oberon's blade. The force of the block sent Liz sprawling with Oberon pinning her down.

"I am victorious," Oberon said.

"All's fair, right?" Liz asked, the sword to her throat. Without waiting for an answer, Liz brought her leg up between Oberon's, causing him to cry out. She then flipped him off of her. Scrambling to her feet, Liz grabbed his fallen sword and held it to his throat. Oberon stared in disbelief.

Just then a horn blew, signaling sunrise and the end of the hunt. Liz threw down Oberon's sword and put her knife away. She released the Children.

Oberon propped himself up on his elbows. He looked up to see a cinnamon colored hand outstretched to him. Liz was smiling faintly.

"Thank you," she said.

Oberon couldn't help but smile. He took her hand and allowed her to help him to his feet.

"Sorry. I was raised to fight dirty," Liz apologized awkwardly. "No honor in surviving and all."

"You did well," said Oberon. "Better than any of us expected."

Liz smiled weakly, lowering her head as she blushed.

* * *

><p>They returned to Oberon's castle, where Coyote was waiting for Liz.<p>

"You sneak!" he shouted at her when he saw her. Though his tone was a tad insulting, there was a huge grin plastered on his face. "I thought you couldn't use your magic like that. We hadn't begun to cover the basics of spell weaving. How did you manage to figure it out so quickly?"

Liz smirked. "I had a little help," she said, glancing in the direction of the stables. She turned to Raven. "No hard feelings?"

Raven looked at her. "None." He smiled. "You're actually a good playmate to have around."

"For a half-breed," finished Liz.

Raven looked like he was going to say something else, but stayed silent. Probably because Oberon was in earshot of them.

"There is one more matter that needs to be attended to," Oberon announced. He turned to Liz. Titania took his side and he put his arm around her shoulders. "Liz, I will grant you whatever you desire. You preformed well, outshining all of our expectations. What do you wish for?"

Liz thought for a moment. There was nothing she wanted. But there was something someone else wanted, or should she say wanted back.

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><p><strong>YYW: End of chapter.<strong>

**Liz: WHAT! You're going to end it like that?**

**YYW: Yes. Is there a problem?**

**Liz: You could have at least shed some light on the wish.**

**YYW: Just keep reading and you'll find out.**

**Liz: *Sulks* Fine! Where's Puck?**

**YYW: I don't know. Go look for him.**

**Liz: *Sighs* Okay. *Leaves***


	7. The Wish original

**YYW: Now you'll learn what Liz's wish is. Enjoy. And don't forget to review this chapter or any of the other chapters. I want your opinions, people.**

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><p>OwenPuck's day was not going so well. Petros Xanatos decided to drop by to visit his grandson, putting all lessons on hold until he left. Petros was not aware of his grandson's magic or that Owen was really Puck. On top of Petros and Xanatos' snippy comments about Xanatos being a self-made man and a billionaire instead of a humble fisherman, Owen got little paperwork done. Fox couldn't stand their fighting and had Owen take her and Alexander out for an hour until things simmered down.

It was a little late in the evening when Puck decided to give lessons a go anyway. Alexander was still awake, but complained his stomach hurt. Puck regretted pushing the child. Alexander and Puck were playing a game (which was what Puck did with all his lessons if he could help it, just to keep Alexander interested) when Alexander suddenly paled and threw up his supper. On Puck.

Puck didn't fuss about it until after he gave Alexander some crackers and water and put him to bed. It was a lucky thing that the mess stayed on his purple wrap. Puck went to wash the cloth and found the washer had decided not to work this evening.

"Ugh! Isn't this wonderful?" Puck grumbled, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he hand washed the cloth. "I don't see how this night can get any worse!"

"PUCK!" roared an all too familiar voice.

"Oh, no," Puck whined.

Puck darted out of the laundry room to find Oberon in the corridor. There was someone standing behind the Fey king, but Puck could not see who it was. He really didn't care at the moment either. Oberon was furious! Puck could only remember one time when he had seen him so angry. His fury was on par with when Puck disobeyed him. What had he done now to incur the wrath of the most powerful magical creature in existence?

Oberon threw out his hands, green magic erupting from them. The magic struck Puck. He let out a yelp of surprise before closing his eyes and dropping to his knees.

A moment later, Oberon lowered his hands. He whirled around to the person behind him. "Satisfied?" he growled.

"Yes," came the reply of a female. "Thank you."

Oberon snarled with contempt and disappeared.

Liz, a little worried that Oberon hurt Puck, rushed to the still Fey. "Puck?" she called, kneeling in front of him. Puck's white hair hung in his face. He was breathing heavily, like he had just run a race. "Puck, are you okay? Puck, answer me!"

Puck raised his head. He blinked and stared at Liz. His playful ice blue eyes were twinkling with magic and excitement. His delicate features, a bit flushed, were split in half by the grin of joy.

"I'M BACK, BABY!" he yelled, his voice shaking the glass in the windows.

From a sitting room, Petros asked, "What was that?"

Xanatos and Fox exchanged glances.

Puck was bouncing off the walls, zooming through the corridors so that all that could be seen was a blur of white, red, and purple. "I don't know how you did it, Liz, and I really could not care at the moment, but thank you!" Puck grabbed Liz's hands and swept her into a jig. He let go and danced around as only Puck could. "I got my powers back! I got my powers back!"

Heedless of the fact that Petros was visiting, Puck flew into the sitting room and began making several laps around the room, laughing like mad.

"What is this?" Petros yelled, stunned by the sudden appearance of the changeling.

"So much for keeping that a secret," said Xanatos.

Fox shrugged. "Your father already knows about the gargoyles. He would have had to find out about this soon enough."

"I would rather I told him before he made an appearance," said Xanatos. "Puck! What's going on?"

"I got my powers back, that's what!" yelled Puck. "I'm no longer restricted!" The elf laughed a silvery laugh.

"What?" asked Xanatos. "How on earth did you manage that?"

Puck shrugged. "I didn't do anything. It was Liz."

Liz hurried into the sitting room, completely winded. She leaned against the doorway. She was a mess to say the least. She was covered in dirt, her clothes were wet, and her hair looked as if it had been cut with a weed whacker.

"Liz," said Fox. "What happened to you?"

"Picked a fight with Oberon," replied Liz.

Petros jumped up from his chair and took Liz's arm. "Here, girl. Sit down before you fall down."

"Thank you," murmured Liz, Petros guiding her into his chair.

"You picked a fight with Oberon?" Xanatos raised an eyebrow.

Puck laughed. "You're mad!" he exclaimed. He floated in front of her, propping his head up on his hands like a child. "So tell us, what happened?"

"I'll give you the short version," said Liz. "I don't think I can stay awake to tell you the whole thing. In a nutshell, I wasn't doing so good with my training and Coyote thought it would be a good idea to throw me into a situation where I would have to make quick decisions. He signed me up to be the prey for Oberon's latest hunt. Oberon promised me one wish if I did well. I won."

The others were quiet. Even Puck was staring at Liz in disbelief.

"The wish," Puck said breathlessly. "You wished for my restrictions to be lifted and my powers restored, didn't you?"

Liz nodded. She saw Puck's face lighten with another smile, but didn't hear what he said. He probably laughed. Liz was too tired to keep her eyes open.

Petros turned from Liz to his son. "Are you going to tell me what is going on?"

"Ah," sighed Xanatos. "It's a long story, Pop."

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><p><strong>YYW: What do you think? Send your reviews. Now that Puck has his powers back, I plan on continuing with that aspect in some upcoming <strong>_**Gargoyle**_** fan fictions.**


	8. The Wish modified

**YYW: Now you'll learn what Liz's wish is. This is not the original ending for the story, this is an updated one so if you've read this story before and find that the ending is different from the last time you read it, that's why. I had one of those days that I was so disgusted with myself for writing the original chapter that I wanted to kick myself for it. The original Chapter 7 was not my first choice for an ending. Enjoy the new ending, I think it is much better. And don't forget to review this chapter or any of the other chapters. I want your opinions, people.**

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><p>It was a peaceful day at Castle Wyvern. Petros Xanatos had come to visit and was currently bouncing his young grandson on his knee. Alexander was giggling, spreading smiles on all of the adults' faces.<p>

"He's getting big," said Petros. He chuckled. "It looks like he's taking after his mother with his looks, David."

Xanatos chuckled. "Give him a few years. I remember you saying something like that about me before."

"Yes," said Petros, looking at Alexander. "I remember as well." He smiled a moment before frowning slightly. "It's hard to believe that he's anything other than. . ." he trailed off.

Fox and Xanatos knew what he was going to say. It was hard to believe that Alexander was anything other than human. He acted like a normal toddler around everyone, but when lesson time came around, it was like he was a different child.

Owen glanced over to Alexander. Alexander looked at him and smiled. Lesson time would be soon. Inside the human guise, Puck wondered what he should teach Alexander today. He had been such a good boy for his grandfather and his parents that Puck was half tempted to give him some sweets. Fox would not like that before he went to bed. Sugar tended to make Alexander hyper.

Alexander let out a happy squeal when he looked over at the clock on the wall.

Fox laughed. "You know what time it is, don't you?" she asked.

"You know it's his favorite time of day," said Xanatos. He turned to the majordomo. "I think that's all for today, Owen."

Alexander's happy expression quickly turned solemn as he looked outside. It was not quite time for the sun to set, but it did not appear to be late afternoon either. Black storm clouds had rolled in, seeming to have appeared out of thin air. The wind was picking up as well and there was a crash of thunder that shook the windowpanes. Puck did not like what he was feeling, and it was apparent that Alexander was sensing it, too. This was no ordinary storm, but one conjured by powerful magic.

There was a burst of green light and Oberon appeared in the room. Behind him stood Liz Maza, looking exhausted and a complete mess. Petros grabbed Alexander and held him close, both Fox and Xanatos jumping up to protect their son.

Oberon turned to them. "I am not here for the child," he said coldly. He turned his icy blue eyes to Owen. "I am here for Puck."

Owen transformed into the banished trickster. Before Puck could properly kneel before Oberon, Oberon flung his hands out at Puck, green light emanating from them. Puck immediately became fearful. The green light enveloped Puck and he let out a cry of surprise before being released from its grip and falling to the floor.

Oberon whirled on Liz. "Are you satisfied?"

"Yes," replied Liz, keeping her voice level. "Thank you."

Oberon gave Liz a glare before disappearing.

"Puck!" Xanatos kneeled beside the trickster.

"Uncle Puck!" cried Alexander, getting free from Petros and coming over to his mentor.

Puck was on his hands and knees, panting hard like he had just run a race. His pale features were flushed. He managed to sit on his knees and raise his head to look at Xanatos.

"Are you all right?" asked Xanatos.

Puck looked passed Xanatos at Liz. "I think you should be asking her that question, David," he said. A look of concern and then fear came over the trickster's face. "Someone catch her!" he yelled.

Petros whirled around in time to see Liz begin to sink to the floor. He jumped up from his seat and grabbed the half-breed before she fell and hit her head. Petros helped Liz to his chair.

"Oh, Liz," said Fox, coming over to her. "What happened?"

Liz opened her eyes. "Got into a fight with Oberon," she said in a low voice. "Won. Granted me a wish."

"What did you wish for?" asked Fox.

Liz's brown eyes slid over to Puck. Puck got to his feet and looked at his hands. He then looked back at Liz in utter shock.

"You did this for me?" he asked in a small voice.

"What?" asked Xanatos.

Puck ignored Xanatos. "Does that mean I can. . . ?"

Liz nodded.

"And I can go. . . ?"

Liz nodded again.

Puck's look of shock slowly disappeared as he became elated. "YES!" he yelled, shooting up into the air and spinning around. "Thank you! Oh, thankyouthankyouthankyou!" Puck zipped around the room in a blur of color.

All three adults had no idea what was going on. Alexander just watched his uncle and laughed along with him.

Puck stopped briefly in front of Liz, cupped her tired face in his hands, and kissed her. He broke away after two seconds and looked her in the eye. "Lizzie, I love you!" he said before kissing her again.

"Will someone please tell us what in the world is happening?" asked Xanatos, a bit annoyed at this point.

"I'M BACK, DAVY-BOY, THAT'S WHAT!" roared Puck, several magical fireworks exploding from his hands.

Liz spoke up from her seat. "I wished for Puck to have his powers back and that he could return to Avalon anytime he wants."

Xanatos turned to Liz. "You have a lot to tell us," he said.

Petros put his hand on Liz's shoulder. "After you get cleaned up and have some rest."

Liz smiled at the elder Xanatos before closing her eyes. Puck's whoops were her lullaby as she slipped into a well-deserved slumber.

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><p><strong>YYW: What do you think? Send your reviews. Now that Puck has his powers back, I plan on continuing with that aspect in some upcoming <strong>_**Gargoyles**_** fan fictions.**


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